Ace Hardware Makes a Big Bet On E-Commerce

CEO John Venhuizen says the company’s local focus will give it an edge over competitors online

Charlie McGee

Updated Aug. 9, 2019 7:32 am ET

Hardware has long been seen as an awkward fit in the world of e-commerce. With products such as sheds and grills that are bulky, expensive to deliver and sometimes complicated to assemble, the sector has failed to achieve significant online penetration.

But as the era of Amazon reshapes consumer expectations about same-day and low-price deliveries, retailer-owned cooperative Ace Hardware Corp. is shifting its bricks-and-mortar focus to make a big bet on e-commerce in the name of survival.